Sprinkler-head.



W. J. TURNER.

SPRINKLER HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 19:1.

/9 164 a as a WITNESSES: IN V EN TOR.

y 'UffNL-TR r BY J {gm/Ml ATTORNEYS WILLIAM J. TURNER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SPRINKLER-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application flled February 26, 1917. Serial No. 150,877.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. TURNER, a citizen of-the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Sprinkler-Head, of which the following is a specification.

My invent1on relates to automatic sprinkler heads.

An object of myinvention is to provide a sprinkler head for automatically releasing a flow of water whenthe temperature in the vicinity passes a certainmaximum.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler'head in which the releasing structure is not rendered uncertain by corrosiveaction and disuse. Another object ofmy invention is to provide a Sprinkler head in which the melting of the fusible bond, which normally prevents the collapse of the valve holding means, cannot be interrupted by the flow of water.

The invention possesses other features of advantage, some of'which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims. 7

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the sprinkler head ofmy invention. The scale is large in order to show the details clearly. Portions are shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1. p

The sprinkler of my invention includes a nozzle 4 provided with two arms 5 and 6 and having a nipple 7 whereby the sprinkler head may be attached to the water supply pipe. At. the opposite end of the head a deflector 9 of the usual form is secured by a screw 12 integral therewith which passes through a boss 13 carried by the arms 5 and 6 and terminates in a blunt, conical point 14 lying in the longitudinal axis AB of the sprinkler head.

A valve cap 15 is seated upon the orifice of the nozzle 4 preferably with a gasket 17 of soft copper or comparable material arranged therebetween. The valve cap 15 is formed with a curved top which terminates in a ralsed point 16 lying in the axial line AB. The form of the cap prevents the catching and j ammlng of the releasing means at the moment of release.

Means are disposed between the two points 14 and 16 for retaining the cap 15 upon its seat under high water pressure and this means is arranged to collapse and drop out of place to release the valve cap when the temperature in the vicinity of the head rises above a predetermined point.

The strut for holding the valve cap in place consists of three members. Two of them are formed somewhat in the shape of an inverted V, and a locking member is disposed between them. One of these members 18-19 is provided with a conical depression in the end of the arm 18 fitting over the point 16. The arm 19 is of spatulate form and extends nearly at right angles to arm 18. A ridge 21 is formed on the arm 18 adjacent the corner of the angle formed with the arm 19 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The other member 23-24 of the releasing strut is arranged upon the member 18-19. The arm 23 is provided at one end with a conical seat in which the point 14 engages. The other end is given a rounded chisel point 25 and is seated in a similarly shaped seat or pocket formed in the arm 18 a small amount to the side of the axial line A--B. The arm 18 is wider at the seat than the chisel point 25 and the seat terminates short of the edge of the arm so that transverse displacement of the chisel point from its seat is prevented. The arm 24 is integral with the arm 23 and extends outwardly to inclose, with the arms 23 and 18, an open space 0 and then continues contiguous to the arm 19 for a short distance beyond the end of that arm. The arm 24 is also of spatulate form in that portion contiguous to the arm 19, so that these two members form a broad surface contact with each other.

The space 0 may conveniently be triangular in form as shown in Fig. 1, but this shape is unessential. The important thing is that there shall be an ample clearance between the members at this point.

As shown in Fig. 2, the arm 24 is wider than the arm 19 and extends out therefrom on each side. In the under side of the portion of the arm 24 which projects beyond the end of the arm 19 is formed a socket 26.

The locking member 28 lies contiguous to the under side of arm 19 and is bent near one 'end to form a head 29" which bears against the end of the arm 19 and seatssin the socket 26. A web of material is left on each side of the. socket so that lateral dis placement of the head is prevented.

It will be clear from the above and from tending to separate the arms- 19*an d Q L-also causes a pressure against. the locking member 28 by the-endof'the arm 19*and this pressure tends toturn the locking member in -its socket 26,-downw ardlyand away from' the-arm 19, thus releasing that arm fromthe arm 24; y 7

The parts are normally held in the de-' scribed relation and collapse prevented by a fusible solder flowed between thecontiguous surfaces of the arms 19 and 2etand the locking memb'er 28. These surfaces are preferably tinned and the solder is'fio wed between them and banked up upon the flaring edges 21 'of' the arm 2%. A mass of solder 31 indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, is also arranged within and upon the ridge 21 and extending over upon the end of thelockin-g member 28 so that the solder blocks the movement of the locking member past the ridge, justias the locking member blocks the movement'of the arm 19 past the end of the arm '24. In addition. to this blocking" effect, or mechanical locking. of

the parts, the solder forms a cohesive union between them. The constituent parts of the solder are proportioned" to. give an alloy fusing at the desired temperature as forinstance, 160 F. I y I The sprinkler head is assembled by soi dering the members as explained and seat ingthe strut upon the valve cap 15.. The screw 12 is then tightened by turning the deflector}? tohold the cap firmlyagainst the water pressure. In case offireinthe vicinity of the sprinkler head,. the solder between the fiat surfacesfof the members and then that in the locking block is fused, either bythe directconta'cewith the flames or the rise in thetemperature ofthe atmosphere abovethe fusing point of the solder. At the instant of fusing, the stress tending to separatethe ar1ns"19 and" 24 causes-them to fly apart, unseating thie lock ing member 28*from its socket inth-e arm "24:

and throwing both strut 23 and arm 18' from the points 15 and 16 respectively and releasing the flow of'water; Itwill be seen that with the structure shown, the complete collapse of the frame is assured immediately following the melting of the solder. 1 There is no possibility of a partial movement of the frame membe'rs suflicient to let some water pass, which, striking the solder, cools it so that further opening is prevented. The collapse ofthe frame is practically simultaneous with the fusion of-the solder and the arms have separated widely and b eyond any possibility of 'attachment by cooled solder before the water touches-them; The

separation of the members-2'3 18 by-the" surfaces suflicient t'o'd'estroy the sensitivenessof 'the releasing mechanism In applicams device this is' avoided by. widely separatingsuch' parts: A- further advantage in: the applicants structure 'li'e's in the"-defu' iiteness-iand-d ifference in lengthiof thelever' arms" which ohara'cteri'sti-cpermitsa close regulation of -the temperatureyo f release; V

Inorderto discourageanyjattemptj y the" user of the sprinkler head toreassem e5 the parts himself a flier-"the solder has ome been melted, I' drill a hole through thehoss' 13 and screw "12' 'after the frame has been first adjusted between the; points is and i-6,

drive 'a pin 32 tightly therein, spreading the removed.

I claim: 1 1. In an automatic spr-inklema valve cap,"

611C184 of the 1-pin so' that' it cannot easily be a lever bearing on "said cap and extending:

outwardly therefrom at an-angleawith the axis of said sprinkler the outer portion "0 f said lever being'ofspa tulate form, astrut supported on the axial line of the sprinkler at one of its ends and hearing at its other ei'rdon'the lever-to one side of the-axial iline, an arm extending from i said "strut and hav ing a 4 'spa'tula'te portion forming; a surface contact with the spatulate portion of said lever, and with said strut and said lever in closingan" open space,- an'd fumble means for unitingthe" spatulate portions of said strut arm and lever'.

'2. In an automatic-sprinkler, a va lve cap, a lever bearing on said cap andextendiirg outwardlytherefrom at'an'aeaite angle wit-hthe axis of said sprinkler; the outer: por tion' of said. lever beingof spatu-late form, a strut supported on theaxial "linear the sprinkler at one of. its ends and bearing at its other end on the lever to onesi depf the axial line-,- an armexten'din'g from said-strut and having a; spatulate portlon 'for'ming'a' surface contact with the spatulate 1501111011.

of said lever and provided with a socket adjacent its end, a locking member of spatulate form seated in said socket and inclosing with said strut arm the end of said lever, and a fusible solder disposed between said locking member, lever and arm.

3. In an automatic sprinkler, a valve cap, a lever bearing on said cap and extending outwardly therefrom at an angle with the axis of said sprinkler, the outer portion of said lever being of spatulate form and bent at an angle to the inner portion a strut supported on the axial line of the sprinkler at one of its ends and bearing at its other end on the lever to one side of the axial line, an arm integral with and extendin from said strut and provided with a sec et near its end and having a spatulate portion forming a surface contact with the spatulate portion of said lever, a rojeetion disposed upon the arm adjacent t e bend therein, a locking member of spatulate form seated in said socket and forming a surface contact with the spatulate end of said lever, the end of the locking member being disposed adjacent the projection on said lever, and a fusible solder disposed between said locking member, lever and arm and about said projection and the end of said locking member to cohesively and mechanically seoure the arm and lever together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco California, this 19th day of February, 191

WILLIAM J. TURNER.

In presence of C. S. EVANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl,

Washington, D. 0. 

